What Every Kitchen Needs

If you are just starting out or just want a well-stocked kitchen, there are many questions to be answered in what you need in your kitchen. When just starting out, you may only want some of the basics. If you have been cooking for quite a while, you may be interested in some of the new items available. Everyone needs a good set of pots and pans. These include saucepans, Dutch ovens, stockpots, and skillets. Saucepans can be used for everything from warming soup to steaming rice. Dutch ovens are mainly used in the preparation of meats, stews and soups. Stockpots are simmering stocks for soups and are great for cooking pasta. If you are from the south, iron skillets are widely used for frying. Cooks of all experience require a set of tools. Measuring cups are a must as are measuring spoons. Mixing bowls are necessary if you are going to be preparing a dish with multiple ingredients. Toaster, mixer (either hand held or a stand), and graters are other necessary tools. You will probably want a can opener. You may prefer the electric kind but you may want to get a manual one in case the electricity goes out. I have lost my electricity and wanted to open a can but only had an electric can opener. First thing I did was purchase a manual can opener so I could eat! Don't forget the slotted spoons, spatulas, and strainer. You will definitely want some storage containers for your scrumptious leftovers. Plastic containers work great, but make sure they are microwavable. Cutlery is something that all cooks need. A high quality set of knives will simplify your preparations. There are quite a variety of knives available. Paring knives are invaluable when peeling and cutting vegetables. Chef knives are used for many purposes. They can be used for chopping onion, mincing garlic and many other slicing duties. If you don't want to destroy your counter tops, I would suggest a nice cutting board. There are many other tools that would be nice to have, but not necessary. A mini chopper is a great tool to have in the kitchen instead of having to manually chop everything. A vegetable steamer is another nice kitchen tool. You can steam anything from vegetables to rice in these steamers. The most important thing not to forget in your kitchen is SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE DISHES!